Dr Barnardo

In the year 1845 a young man called Thomas Barnardo was born in the capital city of Ireland, Dublin.

When he was sixteen years old he decided to work in China as a doctor. he moved to London to become a doctor but never completed the course

During this time he became interested in the lives of poor Victorian children. He saw lots of small children living rough on the streets suffering from illnesses.

In the year 1867 he decide against moving to China and instead he opened his first school to educate poor Victorian children. One of his pupils Jim Jarvis took him for a walk around the East End of London showing him huge numbers of children sleeping rough on the streets

Dr Barnardo was moved by the sight and wanted to do something about it. In the year 1870 he opened a care home for boys giving them food,education,shelter and a bed.

One day a poor boy was refused entry to one of Dr Barnardo homes. Two days later he died on the streets. From then on no one was turned away from any of his homes. A sign on the wall saying 'No homeless child ever refused admission'. Dr Barnardo died age sixty. He opened over one hundred care homes caring for over eight thousand children

Dr Barnardo is still in existent today and cares for thousand of children who need help or have no family. I believe that Thomas Barnardos is one of the true Victorian greats.